Archived: Brooklands House

Updated 24 July 2019

The inspection

We carried out this inspection under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (the Act) as part of our regulatory functions. We checked whether the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations associated with the Act. We looked at the overall quality of the service and provided a rating for the service under the Care Act 2014.

Inspection team

One inspector carried out this inspection, supported by an assistant inspector.

Service and service type

This service provides personal care to people living in specialist ‘extra care’ housing. Extra care housing is purpose-built or adapted single household accommodation in a shared site or building. The accommodation is bought and is the occupant’s own home. People’s care and housing are provided under separate contractual agreements. CQC does not regulate premises used for extra care housing; this inspection looked at people’s personal care service.

The service had a manager registered with the Care Quality Commission. This means that they and the provider are legally responsible for how the service is run and for the quality and safety of the care provided.

The registered manager did not work at the service on a daily basis. Day to day management of the service was carried out by a ‘housing with care’ manager. We have referred to them as the ‘service manager’ in the body of the report.

Notice of inspection

We gave the service 48 hours’ notice of the inspection. This was because we needed to be sure that people had given their agreement to speak with us and to ensure staff and the registered manager would be available.

Inspection activity started on 1 July 2019 and ended on 3 July 2019. We visited the office location on 3 July 2019.

What we did before the inspection

We reviewed information we had received about the service, which included feedback from the public and the local authority. We used the information the provider sent us in the provider information return. This is information providers are required to send us with key information about their service, what they do well, and improvements they plan to make. This information helps support our inspections. We used all of this information to plan our inspection.

During the inspection

We spoke with three people who used the service and one relative about their experience of the care provided. We spoke with four members of staff including the registered manager, a senior care worker, a care worker and the administrator/activities co-ordinator.

We reviewed a range of records. This included three people’s care records and multiple medication records. We looked at two staff files in relation to recruitment and staff supervision. A variety of records relating to the management of the service, including policies and procedures were reviewed.

Updated 24 July 2019

About the service

Brooklands House provides personal care to people aged 55 and over. People using the service lived in self-contained apartments in purpose built accommodation, set in private grounds on the outskirts of Stafford town centre. The accommodation is arranged over three floors and offers 55 apartments, with communal lounges, garden areas, a restaurant and activities room. The building also has staff facilities, including an on-site office and a staff room.

Not everyone who used the service received personal care. CQC only inspects where people receive personal care. This is help with tasks related to personal hygiene and eating. Where they do we also consider any wider social care provided. At the time of inspection, five people living at Brooklands House were receiving a regulated activity.

People’s experience of using this service and what we found

The provider had systems to monitor the quality of the service. However, improvements were needed to ensure audits of medicines and care records were consistently effective and any shortfalls identified acted on promptly.

Risks associated with people’s care and support were managed safely. When needed, people received support to take their medicines as prescribed. However, some improvements were needed to ensure staff always had clear guidance on how to support people.

People were protected from the risk of harm by staff who understood their responsibilities to identify and report any signs of potential abuse and any concerns were referred to the local safeguarding team for investigation when needed.

There were sufficient staff to meet people’s needs. The provider followed safe recruitment procedures and staff were trained and supported to meet people’s changing needs. Staff felt supported and valued by the provider.

People were supported to have maximum choice and control of their lives and staff supported them in the least restrictive way possible and in their best interests; the policies and systems in the service underpinned this practice.

People were supported by kind and caring staff who respected their privacy and dignity and promoted their wellbeing. Staff listened to people and encouraged them to maintain their independence. Where required, people were supported to have enough to eat and drink to maintain their health and wellbeing. They were also supported to access other health services when needed.

People and their relatives were complimentary about the service. They knew how to raise concerns and complaints and there were systems in place to capture people’s views on how the service could be improved.

For more details, please see the full report which is on the CQC website at www.cqc.org.uk

Rating at last inspection

This service was registered with us on 05/07/2018 and this is the first inspection.

Why we inspected

This was a planned first inspection of the service.

Follow up

We will continue to monitor intelligence we receive about the service until we return to visit as per our reinspection programme. If any concerning information is received, we may inspect sooner.